As temperatures in the Whitsundays rise, reaching their often uncomfortably high levels, pets are likely to struggle with the heat as much as people do – if not more, according to local experts.
Greater Whitsunday Vet Services veterinarian Doctor Jason Mansfield warns of the impactful North Queensland heat’s effect on all pets, even one that might seem to revel in the heat.
“Even for snakes or lizards, this time of year can be extremely challenging for them. Which is certainly saying something, considering their cold-blooded nature,” Dr Mansfield said.
“But in particular, we need to be mindful the most of our furry, warm-blooded friends who have trouble self-regulating heat like humans do.”
In the Whitsundays’ far northern extremity, there is a high chance that your pet can experience, at its worst, heatstroke, which, according to scientific reports conducted in the United States, sees over 50 per cent of dogs taken to the vet with severe heatstroke die.
“That’s why it’s so important to follow some basic rules and thought processes during the summer months in the Whitsundays,” Dr Mansfield said.
The basic rules Dr Mansfield highlighted were for dogs and cats.
“With your dogs, if they’re being left outside during the day, you need shaded areas. Some people tie their dogs up during the day, and I do not recommend that at all – it can cause stress, which exacerbates the symptoms of the heat,” Mr Mansfield said.
“We are wanting to not overstress any animal as that will have issues with overheating them. We need them to have plenty of water and in some cases even electrolyte solutions, which can be purchased explicitly for dogs. You then need to keep that water out of the sun.
“The general rule of thumb is: If you’re hot, your animal is very likely hot, too. Think of the lollipop lady. She’s out in the weather all day with shade provided by her clothing, extra water, electrolytes. We can’t give animals clothing, so we need to remedy that in other ways.”
Although it may seem minor, heat-stress and heat-related illness is almost the opposite, according to Mr Mansfield. It is an important consideration for any pet owner, particularly as part of their duty of care to another living creature.
“There are a great number of ways pets can overheat – The obvious being the weather, but it’s also coming into the silly season and they may get a bit of Christmas ham, which can cause inflammation which can then cause vomiting, diarrhea, causing dehydration, which exacerbates heat issues. Sometimes it’s the things we don’t think about,” Dr Mansfield said.
“The best thing we can do is get them out of the heat. Shelter, water, and reduce stress if your pet is anxious.
Dr Mansfield said Greater Whitsunday Vet Services was available for heat-related illnesses in any domestic animal, and had many more tips for keeping your pets safe in the hottest part of the year.
Greater Whitsunday Vet Services veterinarian Doctor Jason Mansfield said this time of year was the time to be most vigilant regarding our animals overheating as a pet owner
